Sugar, Revisited
by duplicitywrites
Summary: Part of 'The Sugar Universe'. / In which Tom runs out of sugar (literally). (COMPLETE.)


A/N:

this is just fluffy nonsense and there is no point to this other than my own amusement. enjoy.

( this is also part of the sugar universe, though you don't totally have to have read that to read this. it's just better if you have ;) )

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**Sugar, Revisited**

* * *

Tom let himself into the flat, already partway through unravelling his scarf as he stepped through the doorway. It was an emerald green scarf that Harry had gotten him, and he'd taken to wearing it all the time. He would continue to wear it until it got too warm to do so, and then he would drop hints that Harry should pick something else out for him.

There was a certain pleasure in owning something that Harry had wanted to give him, and he wasn't about to let something as mundane as the weather prevent him from enjoying that aspect of life longer than he had to.

As he moved to unbutton his coat, Tom noticed that Harry was already home. Already home, yes, and also hanging upside down on the couch.

Harry had his back on the seat, and his legs were draped up and over the couch backing. He was, once again, wearing mismatched socks, and was watching a video on his phone without headphones.

"Hey, Tom," said Harry, his eyes rolling back to look at the doorway. Harry looked very strange from this angle, so Tom chose to glance up at Harry's socks. One of them was navy, and the other one was bright orange. Tom had begun to suspect that Harry was doing this on purpose to annoy him, but he didn't yet have the proof necessary to make the accusation.

"Hello," said Tom. Then he stood there, watching as Harry returned his attention to his phone screen.

Deciding that he wanted a cup of tea, Tom headed into the kitchen. He retrieved a mug and one of the little pods of earl grey from the cabinet. Then he slid the mug underneath the nozzle of his machine and stuck the pod inside. While the tea was dispensing, Tom stepped back out into the living room to check on Harry.

Harry was now sitting upright, though his legs were crossed up on the seat of the couch. He smiled as Tom walked into the room. "How was work?" asked Harry.

"It was alright," Tom said, smiling back. "How was class?"

"It was good." Harry bobbed his head. "We got assigned our groups for a project today."

"That's nice. Did you want some tea?" Tom tilted his head back in the direction of the kitchen.

Harry lolled sideways, stretching himself along the length of the couch like a cat. "I'm alright, thanks Tom."

So Tom went back into the kitchen to retrieve his cup of tea. He removed the pod, disposed of it, and then set his mug of tea upon the counter. Grabbing a spoon from one of the drawers, he went back to the cupboard, opening it and reaching for the container of sugar.

As he lifted the dispenser up, Tom registered that it felt… oddly light. Setting it down upon the counter, Tom unscrewed the top to look inside.

It was empty.

Somehow, the sight of the empty sugar dispenser short circuited his entire brain. Tom stood there for some period of time, simply staring at the few grains of sugar that remained at the bottom of the container.

Ever since Harry had moved in, Tom hadn't needed to buy any sugar. Harry was the one who consistently bought sugar for them. Tom had gotten so used to it that he'd expected the sugar to always be there.

"Harry," said Tom. "We're out of sugar."

There was a pause from the living room, and then, "Oh, fuck. Sorry, Tom. I was going to pick some more up today, but I forgot."

Tom closed the container back up and put it away. He moved to the fridge, opened it, and retrieved the glass bottle of milk inside. Then he portioned out two spoonfuls of milk into his mug, stirring it in. Then he lifted his drink to his lips and took a sip. He pulled back with a disgusted sound.

"Tom?"

Harry had come into the kitchen, looking concerned. Upon spotting the tableau of Tom, Tom's tea mug, and Tom's expression of utter distaste, Harry's mouth twitched into another smile.

"There's no more sugar," Tom said. And then he realized that he'd already said that earlier. So he took another sip of his drink, only to be reminded that it still tasted just as bad as it had the first time. Tom stared back down at his tea, horrified.

Harry pried the mug out of his hands. "I can go get some, if you like." His green eyes were sparkling with mirth.

Miffed, Tom snatched the cup back. "It's fine. I can drink this without sugar." He composed himself, fixing his calm demeanour in place, and then deliberately took a long sip of his tea.

"I have no idea how you can drink your _coffee _black, but be unable to drink tea without sugar."

"I said it's fine." Tom took another drink of tea, just to prove Harry wrong.

Harry's brows had risen up so high that they'd disappeared underneath the fringe of his bangs. "Sure, Tom."

"It's fine," Tom insisted, and then he walked into the living room to escape the look of judgement Harry was continuing to give him. "Tell me about your group project." Maybe he could dump the rest of the tea into that potted plant Harry had insisted upon.

"Well…"

Harry came up behind Tom as he continued to speak, wrapping his arms around Tom's waist and propping his chin upon Tom's shoulder. Though Harry's chin was a bit pointy, Tom decided it felt nice. Between having Harry in his home, and having Harry next door with sugar at all hours of the day, there was no competition.

The next day Tom came home with a twenty-kilogram bag of sugar, which he dropped unceremoniously onto the floor next to Harry's potted plant. Harry eyed the bag suspiciously, but said nothing. And later that evening, when Tom deliberately made them both tea with extra sugar, Harry was smiling wider than usual.

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A/N:

**tom, dragging this heavy ass bag of sugar past hermione's door:** hfffffffff  
**ronmione, standing in the corridor:** uh hi tom do you need a han-  
**tom:** I AM FINE NO THANK YOU  
[tom vanishes inside his flat]  
**ron:** sometimes i worry about harry. but then i decide not to, because i'm not sure exactly what i'm supposed to be worrying about, y'know? like what about that is supposed to be harmful?  
**hermione:** i think you're right and we're better off not knowing

comments, as always, are appreciated :)

find me on tumblr at duplicitywrites


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